KCET & Link Media Announce Merger Establishing an Innovative Model for Public Television

LOS

ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO, OCTOBER 17, 2012 -- KCET, the nation's largest

independent public television station, and Link Media, an independent

non-profit media company that operates the Link TV national satellite network

and online international news portal, LinkNews (news.linktv.org), today announced a merger to create KCETLink,

a powerful new independent public transmedia company that acquires, produces and distributes

provocative global programming targeted to a national audience across

multiple media platforms. 

The

newly-formed company will be available in 33 million households via DIRECTV and

market.  On TV, web and mobile platforms,

KCETLink will offer viewers more direct access than ever before to high-quality

culturally diverse content.   

KCETLink will be

led by Al Jerome as Chief Executive Officer, with Link TV's CEO and President,

Paul S. Mason, becoming Chief Strategy Officer based in Los Angeles. The company will be

headquartered in KCET's new state-of-the-art production facility in Burbank,

CA, where it will tap into the diversified, creative community on the west

coast as

a go-to, one-stop source for producers whose mission is to create high-caliber

programming.

"With our

combined resources, we are taking a bold step forward to become architects of a

new sustainable model for the industry to keep public media thriving as a vital

resource in the digital age," said Al Jerome, President and CEO of KCET.

"This

is more than just a merger of two organizations, but an enormous opportunity to

reinvent the value and purpose of 'independent media' as a vitally important

source of cultural ideas, global connectivity and diverse perspectives in the

U.S.," said Paul S. Mason, President and CEO of Link TV, and an

Emmy-Award-winning veteran of ABC News.

Link Media, which harnesses the latest technology to

engage a next generation audience with breaking news from across the globe,

will join KCET's award-winning digital media team to focus

on developing new technology and programming for web and mobile, such as

an upcoming app that curates world news videos for the iPad and Google TV.

United

by a shared mission to bring powerful stories and

media to diverse audiences, the new KCETLink will be a single

organization supporting two distinct brands. 

Link TV will continue to serve audiences via DIRECTV and DISH Network, providing

a wide array of rich, culturally focused programs that inspire, inform and

engage audiences with the world around them. 

Hits include the internationally award-winning

drama series Borgen, which airs in the U.S.

exclusively on Link TV.  The Daily Beast calls Borgen "The

Beginning

Jan.1, LinkTV programming will be available on one of KCET's three digital

multi-cast channels in the Southern California market, providing viewers in the

11 counties of the Los Angeles market with access to Link TV's news,

documentaries and music from around the world. In addition, LinkAsia, a unique half-hour program

combining state news from Asia with trends and commentary bubbling up through

social media, will be added to KCET's current international news

broadcast schedule.

KCET's

primary channel will continue to air its own locally produced and acquired

programs that

explore the people, places and topics that are relevant to the vibrant region

of California that it remains committed to serving.  Viewers will still be able to watch their

About KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in

the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California.

KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia and Peabody Award-winning

SoCal Connected, a hard-hitting prime-time nightly television news program that

examines the issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its 48-year

history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news

and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions,

its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and

community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported

community institution. For additional information about KCET productions,

Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit

kcet.org.

Link Media uses media

and the power of stories to engage, inform and inspire its audiences to

participate in transformational, sustainable change on issues of global

importance. Founded in 1999, Link Media operates the Link TV national network

and the websites LinkTV.org,

LinkNews

and ViewChange.org.

An independent and non-commercial media company, Link Media acquires, produces

and delivers global news, documentaries and cultural programming over three

distribution channels: broadcast, Web and mobile devices.

Link TV is

available as basic service on DIRECTV channel 375 and DISH Network channel

9410, reaching more than 33 million US households. Select Link TV programming

also airs on 220 cable outlets, including in New York, Los Angeles and San

Francisco, reaching an additional 22 million homes. Link also streams

much of its content online at LinkTV.org. For complete background information,

program schedule and Internet streaming, go to LinkTV.org.

Follow on Twitter @linktv, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/linktv.